by Pat Gray

Created on: December 20, 2011   Last Updated: December 25, 2011

Many perspective pet owners ask why an adoption fee is necessary, after all, chances are the animal would be put down anyway, so why not just give animals away. However, as painful as it is to say, even with millions of animals euthanized every year, it IS better to charge a pet adoption fee, for the following five reasons:

1) Fees help with the cost of rescue work

Even with an army of volunteers, rescue work costs money - lots of money. Maintaining facilities, stationary, advertising, food, cleaning supplies, computers, gas to and from adoption events, food/water bowls, bedding, fencing, cages and crates, utilities, grooming equipment and toys are all necessities for every rescue organization and all of these things cost money.

And yes, there are salaries to be paid too. People do volunteer at shelters, but managing and running large facilities are full time jobs and even people doing charitable work deserve to be compensated fairly for their time.

Author's note: How much is reasonable compensation, especially for high-level, high-paid senior management is a debate for another article, but when competing against major corporations for improvements in animal welfare legislation or funding, perhaps higher salaries for exceptional people are understandable.

2) Fees pay for health care

Too many animals who enter the rescue system have health problems - internal and external parasites (especially heartworm), skin problems, malnutrition, kennel cough and/or diabetes, just to name a few. Pets are frequently surrendered BECAUSE of health problems which the owners cannot afford to treat. Many animals are rescued from torture and suffer from effects of long-term physical abuse - burns, broken limbs, wounds from dog fights or being used as "bait" animals.

The mental health of many rescue animals has suffered as well, and many animals enter the system with a multitude of behavioral problems.

As anyone who has ever owned a pet will attest too, animal health care is not cheap, and even with veterinarians and behaviorists volunteering their time and donated supplies, the cost of healing the body or spirit of a rescued animal can cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

3) Fees protect against the unscrupulous

From dog-fight bait to laboratory animals, "free" animals can end up in horrific situations, unless a substantial fee was charged for their "adoption". Yes, chances are some other animal will be used, but until these inhumane practices are stopped, the animals that CAN

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